Improvement in circuit-closers for alarms



J. P. GALLAWAY. Circuit O10 ser for Alarms.

No. 201,991. Patented April 2,1878.

lNVENTOR fl/ndwm ATTORNEY WITNESSES W J NPETEZS, PHQTO-LITHOGRAPHER,WASHINGTON D C.

UNITED sTATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. OALLAWAY, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEMENT IN ClRCUlT-CLOSERS FOR ALARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 201,991, dated April 2,1878; application filed March 2, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES F. OALLAWAY, of Louisville, in the county ofJefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and valuableImprovement in Electric Fire and Call Alarms for Hotels, Steam-Vessels,850.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, andexact description of the construction and operation of the same,reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of thisspecification, and to the letters and figures of reference markedthereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a vertical section of ahouse, showing my alarm applied; and Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view ofthe key-board, showing the flexible circuit-closers, theeccentric-shaft, and the press-buttons.

- This invention has relation to improvements in electric call or firealarms for hotels, steamers, and the like.

The object of the invention is to form an alarm which may be madegeneral throughout all the rooms of a hotel or cabins of. apassenger-vessel in case of fire, and which may be limited to a singleroom, as when a guest is to be awakened at an early hour.

The natureof the invention will be fully set forth hereinafter.

In the annexed drawings, the letter A designates an electric battery,composed of a sufficient number of cells, a, and located in anyconvenient part of a building or vessel. In each chamber or bed-room isplaced an electric bell, B or a large gong may be set up in thecorridors into which the chambers open, connected, by means of shortwires 1), to the circuit-wire D, that is secured to one of the poles ofthe battery A.

0 represents the circuit-wire leading from the other pole of the batteryto a post, 0, upon the end of the key-board D in the office. The post 0is connected by a metal strip, (7, to the arms 0, that extend up to thefront, and are in contact with the keys f, that are numbered tocorrespond to 'the nmnbers of the rooms in'which the alarm-bells areplaced.

1 represents similar curved arms, springing from the back of thekey-board to the front, with their free ends overlapping, but not incontact with, the arms e. The arms 0 are each connected to a post, h,upon the key-board, to which is coupled, in the usual manner, a wire, E,leading to the alarm-bell and completing the circuit.

By pressing upon a button the arm 6 is thrust into contact with the armg, the circuit is closed, and the bell corresponding to the said buttonsounded. The arm 6 is of suifi cient springiness to cause it to retractitself automatically from the circuit-closer y when the button isrelieved from pressure; consequently the alarm may be repeated as oftenas required.

Each bell may have a circuit-breaking attachment, if I so elect, thoughit is not indispensable.

Gr represents an eccentric-shaft, mounted in suitable bearings in thekey-board under the arms g, and provided with a crank-arm, l, by meansof which it is rotated. When this shaft is rotated the arms 9 are thrustinto contact with the arms 6, all the circuits closed, and alarmssounded simultaneously in all the rooms. These alarms may be rapidlyrepeated by rapidly opening and closing the circuits, which may be doneby imparting an oscillating motion to the eccentric-shaft.

It is evident that the circuit-wires should be properly insulated, andthat the eccentricshaft must be of some non-conducting material, asglass, india-rubber, silk, resin, and the like. The core of the shaftmay be of wood or metal, covered with glass or indiarubber, or othernon-conductor of electricity.

It is evident from the above description that the general and specialalarm mechanism may be used independent of each other.

The circuitclosers and eccentric-shaft are designed to be shut in acasing, N, so as to be protected from dust and moisture.

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In anelectric alarm, the key-board D, with the eccentric-shaft G, incombination with the flexible circuit-closers e g, the press Intestimony that I claim the above I have buttons f, the circuit-Wires,and the electric hereunto subscribed my name in the presence bells B, asand for the purpose set forth. of two Witnesses.

2. The combination, with the battery A,

of the electric bells B, the circuit-wires D O E JAMES FLEMING GALLAWAY'b, the key-board D, the flexible circuit-closers Witnesses: c g, and thepress-buttons f, substantially as L. P. HUGHES, specified. E. A. BARBER.

